Haru and The Nutcracker
by samuraistar
Summary: Exactly what it sounds like, a samuraistar take on the combo of The Cat Returns and The Nutcracker. Obvious pairings, please read!
1. Prologue: Wrath of the Cat King

(running, panting, dropping stuff along the way) Hi, everybody! samuraistar here, with another Christmas story—obviously, this one's for The Cat Returns!

Obviously, I won't be able to finish the whole thing by Christmas, but I'll do my best; as mentioned, this is a crossover with The Nutcracker story by E. T. A. Hoffman, a copy of which I have in my possession, so it'll probably be different from the ballet shows you may or may not have seen. I did, however, watch a couple of versions of the ballet for reference and I also watched a 90's cartoon version, as well as…the Barbie version (embarrassed). So I have tons of reference material, along with TCR! I'll try to make it as good as possible, I promise!

And the chapter quotes will all be from my copy of the book, which is something I've never done before! Excitement!

So without further ado, let's get cracking! (Ha, ha)

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_"Marie Stahlbaum and her older brother, Fritz, could barely contain their excitement. What wonderful gifts were waiting for them under the giant Christmas tree?"_—E. T. A Hoffman, _The Nutcracker_ (Scholastic Junior Classics edition), chapter 1

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**Haru and the Nutcracker**

**Prologue: Wrath of the Cat King**  
_"Aah!" cried Westley as the Cat Escort dumped him at the feet of their king and his court; he could feel their anger in the air and see it in the way their necks bristled. The burly fatigue-patterned cats surrounded him with their swords drawn close to his bare neck. The Cat King stood up._

_"I should've known better than to trust a human," he growled,_ _"I suppose we don't matter to_ _**you**, though; it's just a little cat, right? Not worth wasting your time trying to find **one—stupid—CAT!**"_

_His courtiers backed away nervously, but Westley held his ground._

_"If Your Majesty would permit me to speak," he began._

_"NO!" barked the old cat, "Your speaking is what landed you in this mess! My only heir to the throne is missing and now, thanks to your incompetence, my only hope of ever finding him is_ _gone! You have failed me, my son, and my entire kingdom!"_

_"Westley Moon," he finished, "As punishment for this insult, I sentence you to death!"_

_Before poor Westley could react, his face was slashed and his arms were, too as the guard cats began to execute him manually._

_"I gave you a deadline, Moon," the king said cruelly as the guards tore him apart, "and you missed it. I don't fool around with deadlines, babe."_

_"RRAUGH!" A fat white cat came crashing through the roof and landed on the writhing heap._

_"Toto!" he snarled, "Get him out of here!"_

_A screeching crow swooped in like a missile, dodging weapons right and left. The roaring cat got enough guards away from Westley for Toto to snatch him up and fly out, still dodging weapons._

_"Hold on, Westley," he said as he flapped for their lives, "I'm gonna take you to Renaldo and everything will be all right. Just stay with me."_

_Westley wanted to tell his friend not to bother, that it was too late for him, that he was in so much pain he didn't even want to live, but his pain had silenced him and he concentrated on breathing instead, letting the moments pas in a blur of light and color and sound._

_Soon he was no longer moving; he felt instead a soft warmth like sunshine working around him to heal his wounds. It was a blissful warmth and Westley welcomed it gratefully._

_Except for one thing: He was very stiff, like he'd slept for a week in the most awkward position imaginable. It seemed to have to do with the light; the longer he was immersed, the stiffer he felt._

_Startled, he opened his eyes and saw the face of his uncle Renaldo, anxiously working over him. He was gigantic!_

_"Uncle," he wanted to ask, "Why are you so large?" But he still couldn't speak! He saw Toto on his shoulder with his sharp beady eyes fixed on him and Muta the white cat sitting by him, licking his own wounds._

_"Renaldo, are you sure about this?" Toto murmured._

_"This is the only way I know to save him," the man answered, "I have to change him—his name, too. The Cat King will hunt him down forever for this, fool that he is. It's too dangerous to be him anymore."_

_Westley could feel his legs coming together like a soldier, his feet pointing upward; his left arm folded itself across his stomach while his right crept underneath his back. It was as if his body was no longer his own!_

'_**What's happening to me?'**he screamed in his head as something grew out of his head. He turned his eyes to his uncle and friends, but even his own eyes defied his will and slowly forced his vision forward to the ceiling. They would never move again._

_"It's complete," announced Renaldo quietly, "As far as the Cat Kingdom is concerned, Westley Moon is dead." He carefully picked up his stiffened nephew and held him up._

_"But what are we going to call him now?" asked Toto._

_"Something that will throw the cats so far off the scent they'll chase their tails in circles," Renaldo smiled, "He'll be a baron: Baron Humbert von Gikkingen."_

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**Author's Review****:**  
You know, I'm slightly disappointed with myself; this sounds like something anyone else would come up with! (sigh) I hope I'm not starting to lose my touch…

I actually debated on whether or not to put this prologue up, but decided to go ahead because even if we know most of the story already, Haru still doesn't! ;)

Please leave reviews or what-have-you, but it's Christmas, so please be kind! I'll update as soon as I can.


	2. Ballerina to the Rescue!

Hey! (I started this right after uploading the prologue, so yeah) This is the first official chapter! I hope y'all enjoy it!

Also, I DO NOT OWN THE NAME OF THE PIANO. (You'll see)

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_"Godfather Drosselmeier was a skilled clockmaker and craftsman."_—_The Nutcracker, _chapter 1

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**Chapter 1: Ballerina to the Rescue!**  
"I still can't believe we're spending Christmas at the Drosselmeier Mansion," said Haru as she and her mother drove through town to the eastern countryside area.

"Well, I still can't believe you ended up saving Papa Moon's favorite cat!" said Mom, "Reckless though you were, it's amazing how it all turned out."

"Mm-hmm," Haru nodded as she scratched Yuki's chin and thought back to what seemed only yesterday, when she'd been walking home from ballet practice with Hiromi and Tsuge, who'd gone to pick her up. Haru had seen a beautiful yet strange looking cat crossing the street with his tail erect and purposeful steps. He'd nearly been hit by a small moving truck; even with Haru's quick and graceful moves, it had been a narrow miss.

(Flashback)

_Haru stood there panting and cradling her rescue victim. Hiromi and Tsgue ran over to see if she was okay."Haru, are you nuts?" Hiromi scolded from fear, "You nearly got killed trying to save a stupid cat!"_

_"Young lady? Oh, young lady!" called a bald old man, waving as he hurried over to them._

_"Oh," said Haru, "Is this your cat, sir?"_

_"Oh, yes," he said fervently as he held his arms out, "Thank you so much, young lady. That was so brave of you." The cat jumped into his master's arms purring._

_"Lune, you foolish thing," he murmured to him, "How could you be so careless? Don't I always say to watch for the light?"_

_Hiromi choked on a chuckle. The man looked up._

_"Oh, I'm sorry," he smiled, "I should introduce myself. My name is Renaldo Moon." All three teenagers stared at him._

_"**The** Renaldo Moon?" Hiromi gawked._

_"The owner of the number one clockmaker company in the region?" added Tsuge._

_"The one everyone calls Papa Moon?" said Haru._

_"Please, don't make a fuss," said the man modestly, "Just call me Papa Moon, like everyone else." Lune meowed at his master._

_"Oh, really?" the man said, surprised, "Young lady, is your name Haru Yoshioka?"_

_"Yes," she answered, "How did you know?"_

_"Lune watches your dance class," he said smiling, "He tells me you're a wonderful dancer." Haru blushed. She'd just been bragged about by a cat._

_"Oh, Haru's the best in her class!" Hiromi beamed with an arm over her shoulder, "She might even be up for prima ballerina!"_

_"Hiromi," she moaned her embarrassment. Papa Moon chuckled._

_"Well," he said kindly, "Thank you again for rescuing Lune. He's very important to me. How can I possibly repay you?"_

_"You don't need to repay me," she shook her head, "I'm just glad I was able to help."_

_"Oh, no," he shook his head back, "Papa Moon never forgets a friend. I'll think of some way, I promise." Before anyone could say anything else, he winked at her and walked away._

_The next day, Haru opened her mailbox to find a rolled-up scroll with Papa Moon's seal on it, a crown with a moon crescent in it. It was an invitation for her and her mother to join him for Christmas at his home in the Old Drosselmeier Mansion!_

(End flashback!)

"I just know he'll ask me to dance," said Haru, petting Yuki.

"Do you have something to wear for that?" asked her mother.

"Yeah," she nodded, "I just can't believe he invited us! He's Renaldo Moon, the richest man in three counties!"

"And you did him a service," Mom chirped, "That makes you special, Haru. Well—_I _always knew you were special, but now someone else knows it! Besides, I think he's lonely. He has no family and no real friends except his cats. So let's do our best to make this Christmas as special for him as he's making it for us!" Haru smiled and nodded. Yuki meowed her agreement and Mom giggled and scratched her behind the ears, making Yuki purr.

They drove for about half an hour through beautiful countryside, still only half-covered in snow. They passed gated communities on hills, small health clinics by the road, and solitary country mansions—nothing too extravagant, more like a typical dollhouse, your basic "home in the country." They were all decorated for Christmas, and Haru could picture a happy family in each one. It made her smile, and Yuki mewed delightfully at their beauty.

Well, to _us_ it was mewing. To Haru, it was "Oh, Haru! The snow is so beautiful out here!" or "Haru, look at that house with the huge pine tree!" or "Look, Haru! That house has two cats in the yard!" Haru giggled and picked her up.

"You know, Yuki," she said adoringly, "Sometimes I can't tell if you're a cat or a dog."

"I'm just so excited!" replied Yuki.

"Girls," said Mom, "I think we're here." Yuki was so much a member of the family Mom always included her in conversation; she couldn't talk to her, but she could tell she was unusually sharp for a cat. Besides that, Mom just plain adored Yuki!

Yuki turned around in Haru's arms to see ahead and they all went wide-eyed.

The very last house was on a tall, smoothly sloping hill on their right. It was a soft gold color with a dark green roof and shutters, sheet-covered plants in front, and a curving path to the green front door. There were garlands tied with ribbons and colored lights twined around the two porch pillars and yellow icicle shaped lights hanging from the roof. Snow was falling in thick flakes everywhere and Mom had to be careful on the curved driveway. Haru leaned forward and Yuki put her paws on the window sill. They could see a big wreath on the door and more on every window; the ones on the first floor had candles in them.

"It's like something out of a fairy tale!" breathed Haru.

"And that sweet old man lives here all alone?" said Mom sympathetically. They pulled into the fancy garage.

"Miss Haru!" called Renaldo Moon from outside, "Welcome!" Haru got out of the car holding Yuki.

"Nice to see you again, Papa Moon!" she smiled, "This is Yuki! She's my best friend."

"Oh," he sighed softly, "Oh, my. She's so beautiful!" He held his hand out to the cat. "May I pet you, dear lady?" Yuki meowed positively and purred under his gentle hand.

"She's an angel, Miss Haru," he said humbly, "A born princess." Mom came over.

"Mr. Moon, hello!" she greeted, "I'm Naoko Yoshioka, Haru's mother. It's such a pleasure to meet you!"

"Ah, Mrs. Yoshioka," he smiled and shook her hand, "The pleasure is all mine. And please, call me Papa. Come, come! Everyone's anxious to meet the girl who rescued Lune!"

"Everyone?" repeated Mom as they followed him to the front door.

"Yes, ma'am," he smiled with a twinkle in his eye, "Everyone." He opened the door to a flood of warm chandelier light; standing under it was a crowd of cats, the leader of which was cream colored with a white muzzle and marble blue eyes. Many of them were a lovely gray with white muzzles, paws, and tail tips; their fur was shining and they sat up straight with their tails curled around their paws like servants. They all had different eye colors of blue, green, amber, yellow, etc. Some were a lighter gray than others, more of a silver—females, Haru guessed.

"Welcome, ladies," Papa Moon motioned, "to the Drosselmeier house!"

"Whoa," Haru breathed as she and Mom and Yuki looked around. On every wall they could see clocks of every kind, including cuckoos! Four magnificently crafted grandfather clocks stood tall and proud against the wall corners, like sentinels to a grand palace, each a different wood—cherry, oak, pine, and walnut, all shining with the best finishes money could buy. These, the ladies knew, were the children of Papa Moon's craft; these were the reason he was so well-known.

"Shall we step into the parlor?" he invited, "You may remove your coats and shoes in there, and I'll show you my pride and joy." The awestruck Yoshiokas followed him through an ornately carved door into a spacious room brightly lit with softly glowing lamps on the ceiling and side tables; the walls were rose-colored and there was a cheerful fire crackling away in the closed fireplace on their left, on the same side as the door. Across the room in the corner was a beautiful black baby grand piano.

"Wow," said Haru, "What a beautiful piano!"

"Not just any piano," Mom breathed, "Look." On the face-up lid, etched in capital gold letters, were the words "STEINWAY AND SONS." Haru gasped softly and slowly.

"Haru," Yuki mewed, "What's the matter?"

"This is a _Steinway_ piano," said Haru in awe, "the Queen Elizabeth of all pianos."

"Oh, you like the Steinway?" smiled Papa Moon.

"It's exquisite," said Mom humbly, "I never thought I'd see one."

"Thank you," he said quietly, "I got it about ten years ago. It was a gift for my nephew." Mom, Haru and Yuki looked surprised at the old man.

"I didn't know you had a nephew," Haru said carefully.

"I did," he said sadly, tinkling a few one-handed notes, "but he died a long time ago." Yuki gasped shortly and mewed sympathetically. He smiled.

"But it's all right," he said and petted her, "I'm not entirely lonely. I've got all my friends here."

_"Meow,"_ came a call from the mantelpiece. They turned to see Lune, the strange cat Haru had rescued.

"There you are, Lune," chirped Papa Moon, "Come and meet Miss Haru's family!"

Lune gracefully leapt to the shiny wooden floor and walked over to the Yoshioka ladies, but Haru could see in his mismatched eyes that the one he _really_ wanted to meet was sitting in her arms. She giggled and knelt to the floor.

"Hi, Lune," she said as she petted him, "This is my treasure, Yuki. Yuki, this is Lune, the cat I told you about."

Lune was wearing a nice blue collar with a golden Moon seal hanging from it and his fur was glossy and clean, every hair in place. Yuki sat on her bottom, curled her tail around herself, and bowed her head to him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," she said politely.

"Oh, not at all," said Lune a bit breathlessly, "The pleasure's all mine!" He bowed back to her. "Your name is Yuki?" She nodded wordlessly—er, mewlessly. He smiled in a way only possible to a cat.

"Yuki," he purred, turning her name over like a priceless gem, "Tender princess. I—I mean, your name—Yuki. It means 'tender princess.'" Yuki's ears flattened bashfully and she looked at her feet.

"Thank you," she mewed shyly, "You have a nice name, too—Lune. It means 'moon,' doesn't it?"

"Yes," he nodded, "My mother's name was Luna. I was named after her." An awkward silence developed between the two cats like a couple of shy teenagers that had never dated before.

"Oh, Lune," suggested Papa Moon, "Why don't you take Miss Yuki around the house and ask Mr. Stahlbaum if lunch is ready?"

Lune nodded and asked, "Yuki, would you like to?" Yuki nodded.

"Do you mind, Haru?" she asked her owner.

"Of course not," she beamed and scratched her on the head, "Go enjoy yourself!" She giggled as the cats ran out of the room; Papa Moon chuckled, too.

"So far, it's shaping up to be a nice holiday!" he beamed happily. Haru nodded.

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**Author's Review****:**  
Mr. Stahlbaum, whose name is a direct reference to Clara's last name from the original story…except in the original story, her name was NOT Clara, but Marie…will be revealed in the next chapter. It won't be hard to figure out which TCR character he is, I promise.

Yuki's "two cats in the yard" line is from a song by...I don't know! I think it's Crosby, Stiles, Nash and Young, but I'm not sure. Anyone?

Lune's first meeting with Yuki is a reference to the Pink Bible version of "Pride and Prejudice," from the part where Jane first met Charles Bingley. It's a cute movie!

And Yuki meaning "tender princess" is from "Vampire Knight," the manga series; in that one, the kanji that make up Yuki's name translate to "tender princess," even though Yuki the cat probably translates to "snow," like it said in my Japanese dictionary. Whatever.

About the piano: It has no story value whatsoever, I just figured a filthy rich dude like Renaldo Moon would have a Steinway. Really, "Steinway" is just my shortened nickname for the super-famous, super-expensive Steinway and Sons piano. In case you don't know what kind of piano that is, it's the kind that's entirely handmade—the Rolls Royce of pianos! That's what the big deal is, and yes—it will be played in the next chapter!

This also has no story value, but the reason the house is called Drosselmeier—besides its obvious reference to the original Nutcracker story—is because Drosselmeier was Papa Moon's mother's maiden name. He got into clockmaking through his maternal grandfather. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

Oh, and the leader of the cat crowd? The one with marble blue eyes? His identity will be revealed soon, too, but not until the third chapter.

Please leave nice reviews and get ready for dancing and a fateful meeting with a certain nutcracker! ;)


	3. Haru Dances with Steinway

'Sup, my hip young parsons? I told you I'd be back as fast as I could!

Okay, this is the first chapter Haru dances in; I seriously considered using "Once Upon A December" for her dance song, but really, beautiful though it is (and one of my favorites ever) it's been done. I don't want to go all cliché on you or any of that…not that it's cliché to use it!!!! I'm not saying that at all! It's just I don't want to copy other people's work or make you go "oh, good grief, this is just like whatever" or anything like that. You get what I'm saying? Actually, **YarningChick** used it in her totally butt-kicking story "Refuge" (read it! It's great!) so I didn't want to repeat someone else's performance, I guess. It just seemed like a predictable move to me.

All right, I'll stop excusing myself now! The song she dances to is a very beautiful and dramatic rendition of "Ave Maria," which is also powerful and awesome, and I'm sure you can imagine the music in your head…if you know the song, that is. If you don't, look it up. In the meantime, please enjoy this chapter!

By the way, for a character model, I imagine Papa Moon looking like Peter Boyle, the voice of Muta, only he's not cantankerous like Muta, or Frank Barone from "Everybody Loves Raymond," who he also played. He's a nice guy!

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_"Our little friend is descended from the Nutcracker family. He has learned his trade well from his ancestors. I am sure he will serve all of you very nicely."_—Godfather Drosselmeier, _The Nutcracker_, chapter 2

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**Chapter 2: Haru Dances with Steinway**  
Mr. Stahlbaum was a kind man in his mid-forties with a mess of black hair lightly dusted with gray that made him look cool and brown eyes so dark they looked black from a distance and could almost see into your soul.

He served lunch to Papa Moon and his guests in the parlor and ate with them.

"This is wonderful, Mr. Stahlbaum," said Mom, savoring the food, "Your cooking is excellent!"

"That's why I hired him," said Papa Moon, "but he's more than that, aren't you, Mr. Stahlbaum?"

"Yes, sir," he smiled.

"Are you his…assistant?" asked Mom, not wanting to demoralize their host by saying "caretaker."

"Yes, ma'am," he answered, "Cook, butler, driver, bookie, clockmaking assistant, just about everything!"

"And yes," said Papa Moon with a wink, "He even acts as nursemaid on occasion." Mom blushed.

"Besides being my clockmaker's assistant," he continued, "Mr. Stahlbaum has a rather fruitful hobby of his own!"

"Really?" said Haru, "What do you do?"

"I'm a stonecutter," he said, "I like to make statues, mostly birds. They seem to be my specialty. The one I'm most proud of is up there, on the clock."

Haru and Mom looked at the incredible grandfather clock, all carved with cats and nutcrackers, its long gilded pendulums swinging gently behind the glass door. On top was perched a stone bird—a crow with its wings spread but slightly curved in. It wasn't much in the way of beauty, like the clock, but it was a perfectly crafted bird with every detail sweated into its creation—every feather, every claw, every fine line in its eyes and on its legs, and the curve of its sharp beak.

"That's the most amazing bird statue I've ever seen," said Haru, impressed.

"It must have taken so long to make," said Mom, also impressed.

"He did," nodded Mr. Stahlbaum, "He's my _magnum opus._ I call him Toto."

"Toto?" Haru smiled. He nodded.

"Would you like more tea, Mrs. Yoshioka?" he asked.

"Why, thank you," she said, letting him serve her.

"So, Miss Haru," he said, carefully replacing the tea pot, "Lune tells me you're quite the dancer." Haru looked at Lune, eating nearby with Yuki.

"I guess you can talk to cats, too," she smiled nervously, "I am in a ballet class, but I'm no better than any of the others, really."

"Oh, Haru," smiled Mom, "You don't have to be so modest! She really is talented, Mr. Stahlbaum. She was recently offered a chance to be prima ballerina!"

_'Why is everyone so determined to brag on me?'_ she thought, embarrassed.

"It's true," she confessed, "I was offered, but I don't really want to be prima. Actually, I want to be the one people would call to model for movie characters—you know, like a dancing model, where they watch the moves and animate the characters on them!"

"That does sound fun," said Papa Moon, "But what would you do in the meantime?"

"Oh, I work part-time," she said, "It pays well—not as well as dancing, but still good."

"Well, Miss Haru," Papa Moon asked, "I hope you won't be embarrassed, but would you be willing to dance for us all in here? Lune has often talked of you."

Haru looked at the cats scattered around the parlor, all eating out of nice china. The room was certainly big enough.

"Sure," she said, "Would it be too much to ask if you'd let my mother play for me? She's a great piano player."

"What?" Mom jumped, "Me, play on a Steinway? I couldn't possibly!"

"You're as modest as your daughter," Papa chuckled, "I'd _love_ to hear you play!"

"I always dance best when you accompany me, Mom," Haru smiled warmly. That did it.

"Okay, honey," she chuckled, "Go change into your outfit and I'll be ready for you. What do I play?"

"How about Ave Maria?" she suggested.

"Good!" she nodded. Haru skipped out with a few of the silver cats, who guided her to the nearest bathroom at Papa Moon's request.

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Haru walked gracefully back into the parlor in her tutu—not the poofy kind that stuck out like an umbrella, but the kind made of flimsy material that trailed behind her like snowflakes. It was sparkly dark green and the top part was red velvet with soft sparkles. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her slippers were green satin with matching ribbons twining nicely around her legs from the knee down.

"That tutu's much prettier than the black one she wears in class," Lune whispered to Yuki, "Not that it doesn't look good on her; it just makes her harder to find, since they all wear the same thing." Yuki nodded.

"Ready?" asked Mom, seated at the Steinway piano. Haru nodded, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes to draw forth that feeling of peace that freed her heart and helped her dance so well, that inexpressible joy she'd first felt as a small child the first time she'd done a pirouette.

As Mom summoned the intro, Haru rose to her tiptoes with her forearms delicately crossed in front of her, as if a master puppeteer had pulled a string from the crown of her head that ran down her spine and into her feet.

When the song began officially, Haru raised her arms and kicked her right leg out to the side. The dance that followed was intricate and perfectly executed, with the more dramatic parts involving her leaning back with her arms out or giving quick turning leaps. Mrs. Yoshioka grinned happily; she was never so proud as when watching her daughter at her best. It always made her happy to help Haru dance by playing for her—and on a Steinway, no less!

Haru finally finished the dance in a smooth, graceful bow with one hand out behind and one lowered in front. Her audience applauded her enthusiastically, including the cats, who were meowing and…clapping their paws?

_'Okay, that happened,'_ thought Haru, weirded out.

"Let's hear it for Mom!" she motioned to her mother, "I told you she was great!"

"You weren't kidding!" said Mr. Stahlbaum as he clapped, "Masterful playing, Mrs. Yoshioka!"

"Indeed," said Papa Moon, "You certainly are a prima ballerina."

"Thank you, Papa Moon," Haru blushed. Suddenly she could feel someone watching her, besides all the cats. She turned around and saw something she was amazed she hadn't noticed before.

A dark cherry wood cabinet with framed glass doors stood next to a second door; on top was the biggest cat Haru had ever seen! He was white with a brown ear and he was asleep with his mass of fat and fur settled comfortably around him.

"That's Muta," chirped Papa Moon, "my other favorite cat, the big fluff."

"Oh." That wasn't where the feeling was coming from, though; inside the cabinet were old preserved dolls and antique toys and hand carved furniture. In the middle of the top shelf was a tall cat figurine dressed in a creamy white suit with a bow tie and a top hat neatly placed between his ears. His left arm was folded across his front with a cane in his gloved hand; his right one was similarly folded behind his back, like he was about to bow like an English gentleman.

But what captured Haru the most was his eyes—two gem-shaped emeralds with cat's eye pupils in the centers, shining brightly in the sunlight, catching even the silhouettes of the falling snowflakes and the wavering reflection of the candlelight.

"Oh," she sighed and touched the door, "Papa Moon…Did you make him, too?"

"I did," he answered softly, "As Mr. Stahlbaum would say, he's my _magnum opus._ Would you like to hold him?" She turned her head back.

"Could I?" she asked in surprise.

"Of course," he beamed as he opened the cabinet and carefully took him out.

"Haru Yoshioka," he introduced as he placed him in her hands, "Meet Baron Humbert von Gikkingen."

Haru stared at the strange cat doll she was holding; she just couldn't take her eyes off him, especially _those_ eyes!

"He's so cool," she finally said.

"Thank you," said Papa, "He's a nutcracker." He pulled on the arm folded behind the doll's back and moved it back and forth; the doll's mouth opened and closed. Haru giggled. One of the eyes caught a spot of light like he'd winked at her! She blushed.

"He likes you," Papa chuckled, "Here. Let's let him stand on the mantelpiece, where he can see better."

Papa Moon spent the rest of the day entertaining Haru and her mother; he showed them his cozy yet large house with its rooms and kitchen (Mom _loved_ the kitchen), his gardens and pond outside in the backyard, and pointed out the woods beyond with its many paths. He had all sorts of stories to tell about his cats, his clocks, his estate, everything; he proved to be a masterful storyteller.

But with every trip and tour, they always ended up back in the parlor, and every time Haru would look up at the handsome nutcracker, with his mysteriously beautiful eyes that seemed to peer ever so gently into her heart.

"Papa Moon," she asked over tea, "How did you get his eyes to do that?"

"Oh, the baron's?" he said, "I just put my heart into him, more so than my other creations. When you pour every ounce of yourself into something, it shows." Haru looked at the old man; his old eyes were on the nutcracker. He had a faraway expression. She looked back at the baron; was it her imagination or did his eyes suddenly look sad?

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**Author's Review****:**  
Yeah, I know—cliffhanger. Bleh…

Just as I modeled Papa Moon's look on Peter Boyle, I also modeled Mr. Stahlbaum's on Elliott Gould, the guy who did Toto's voice in the movie. Not very clever or creative of me, but there it is.

_Magnum opus _is a Latin term I picked up reading "Charlotte's Web." According to it, the phrase means "masterpiece," or "great work," or something like that. For some reason, Toto strikes me as someone who uses Latin terms, as was evidenced in my one-shot, "Royal Wedding."

The reason Muta is Papa's favorite cat will surface in the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed this! See y'all soon!


	4. The Baron's Midnight Runners

I'm back, everybody, still working feverishly to get as many chappies up as possible before the big Friday! I'm so happy Christmas is on a Friday this year; Friday's the best day of the week! Whee!

Okay, this chapter title is a play on a band from the 80's (I think) called Dexy's Midnight Runners—weird name, but memorable. They sing the hit song "Come On, Eileen," which is actually kinda bad, but again—memorable.

One more thing—this chapter quote is about the toy cabinet because it's one of the most important elements to the story. Have fun reading!

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_"Whatever was placed in the cabinet looked almost more beautiful and enchanting than it did when you played with it."_—_The Nutcracker,_ chapter 3

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**Chapter 3: The Baron's Midnight Runners**  
This was ridiculous!

Haru was lying in a huge, queen size four-poster featherbed with a hand-carved headboard and green curtains, squishy pillows and fluffy blankets—all expensive, of course—with another Moon-made cuckoo clock on the wall over the smaller fireplace. This room was the most comfortable room she'd ever been in, with the most luxurious bed imaginable.

So why on earth couldn't she sleep?!?

_'How ungrateful can you get, Haru?'_ she fussed at herself mentally, _'Here you are, staying in the house of the richest man in town, who's a total sweetheart and went to all this trouble just to make you comfortable, and you're not even sleepy?'_

She groaned and flopped onto her back to stare at the canopy overhead. Next door her mother was happily lost in a deep sleep—lucky Mom. Next to her own bed on the floor, Yuki was asleep in a blue kitty basket bed, curled up in a furry snowball. Haru sighed, still unable to get those perfect shining eyes out of her head. She was surprised she'd let herself get so worked up over something as ordinary as a nutcracker.

But then, the Baron _wasn't_ an ordinary nutcracker; besides his eyes and his looks, there was something so _non_-ordinary about him, something…_extra_ordinary. It was almost like he was alive.

_'It's all right, Haru,'_ said a velvety soft voice in her head, _'You needn't lose sleep over me.'_

_'Huh?'_ she thought, _'Wait—who's talking?'_ She sat up with her heart pounding.

"Haru?" Yuki mewed drowsily, stirring in her basket, "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," Haru shook her head and rubbed the side, "I heard a voice in my head just now." Yuki's ears twitched in surprise.

"A voice?" she said as she sprang onto the bed, "Whose was it?"

"Call me crazy," said the human, "but I think it was the Baron!"

"The Baron," Yuki exhaled, "But why would he talk to you? What did he say?"

"He tried to get me to sleep," she said, "His voice was so kind, so…" She blushed. "Gorgeous." Yuki giggled.

"Why don't we go see him?" she suggested, "You can't sleep anyway." Haru looked at her with suspicious amusement.

"You just want to see if Lune is still awake," she said slyly and pet her head. Yuki purred bashfully. Haru uncovered herself and slipped her feet into a pair of white satin slippers that looked like ballet shoes ("Dainty shoes for dainty feet!" Papa Moon had said). She also pulled a flimsy white night-jacket over her sleeveless white nightgown with its blue sash and flowing skirt. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail again and lit a candle in a fancily carved candlestick with a cat face etched inside it.

"Come on, Yuki," she whispered with a smile. Her cat climbed into her free left arm and curled into a sort-of sitting position while her friend carried her like a baby out of the room with their candle lighting the way.

Together they crept down the wide staircase and slowly opened the second door to the parlor, the one the toy cabinet stood by. Muta was still snoozing away on top without a care in the world; the girls moved to the now-empty fireplace, where the Baron was still standing erect like a soldier at attention, his eyes shining softly in the moonlight.

"Good evening, Baron," Haru smiled and curtsied with her ballerina's grace, "Forgive me, but I couldn't sleep. Not that there's anything wrong with the beds, of course—I've never had such a comfortable bed—I just, uh…couldn't sleep."

"If you can't sleep," said the same voice from before, "would you be inclined to dance again?"

Haru whipped her head up and looked at the nutcracker; he'd spoken to her again, out loud this time! Her mouth and eyes went wider when she saw him remove his hat and greet her with a sweeping bow!

"Good evening, ladies," he chirped and stood up, "I hope you're enjoying your stay here at the Drosselmeier mansion."

"Uh…uh," was all Haru could squeak out.

"Baron," said a shocked Yuki, "You're alive!"

"Yes, Miss Yuki," he smiled gently, "I am very much alive." He hopped with one foot off the fireplace and landed smartly in an elegant crouch. Haru slid to her knees a little _less_ elegantly.

"I am also very much impressed with you, Miss Haru," he said, "Lune never spoke more truly than when he told me of your dancing. It was the most beautiful I've ever seen." He bowed to her again and she blushed.

"Thank you, Baron," she smiled shyly, "but how are you alive like this? It's amazing!"

"It's a rather long story," he scratched his head, "Perhaps we could discuss it over tea?"

"Tea?" said Haru, "This late at night?"

Suddenly a crash sounded outside the parlor that sent Yuki jumping back into Haru's arms. Haru looked at the door and saw Muta stand up on his hind feet on the toy cabinet! His face was serious and he seemed to look through her.

"Skip the tea, Baron," he said in a gruff yet familiar voice, "They're coming."

"Muta?" Haru gawked, "You sound like Papa Moon!"

"That's 'cause I am, chicky," he replied, clenching his paws like fists, "Now quit chatting and hide! A bunch of bad cats are headed this way, and if they find you two here, you're both screwed!"

"Bad cats?" Yuki repeated, "Does Lune know?"

"I should think so," said the Baron, "He's the one they're after."

Haru was about to ask another question when she heard a strange whirring sound.

"Haru, the clock!" Yuki gasped. Haru and the other cats looked at it; the hands were spinning like crazy! Haru wrapped her arms protectively around her cat.

"Okay, I'm seriously freaked out," she said with a wavering voice, "What's happening, Baron?"

"Don't be afraid, Haru," he said soothingly and touched her arm, "It's not you they want."

The clock hands kept spinning faster and faster until they came to land smack on the twelve; a split second later a black pair of bird wings were swept over the whole face, muffling its midnight chimes. Haru looked at the bird to whom the wings belonged and dropped her jaw again.

It was Toto! He'd come to life, too! He looked down at Haru, fixed her with one beady eye, and spoke in a chilly croak with a familiar tone.

_"Every clock must stop its ticking  
The Cat King hears the slightest clicking  
He comes to seek the Baron's doom,  
so flee the parlor to your room."_

Haru's heart hammered in her chest; it was Mr. Stahlbaum! But what did he mean "the Baron's doom?" Was he in some sort of trouble? Were the bad cats coming to kill him? What about Lune?

She must have missed something because a half minute later, the good cats that lived with Papa Moon were gathered around the Baron and the tomcat with marble blue eyes. Muta was sliding the deadbolt lock shut to keep out the unwelcome guests.

Haru did a double take; the housecats were all in uniform! Each and every cat was wearing a red uniform jacket and fuzzy tall helmet, except the blue-eyed one; his was blue. Haru couldn't hear them, but he was in deep discussion with the Baron.

"Is the prince secure, captain?" asked the Baron.

"Yes, sir," the cat nodded, "Our strongest cats are guarding him."

"Good," he responded, "Perhaps we could have a few others protecting our lovely guests."

"Um, Baron?" asked Haru's fearfully squeaky voice, "Is it all right to be afraid now?"

"Hmm?" he turned, and so did the cat captain. Haru was holding Yuki tightly and they were both tense with fear; a small army of cats had amassed on the other side of the parlor by the other door. They were all standing on their hind feet with their forelegs up and their paws hanging down. Each cat had a sword tied to its side; behind this army were two very different-looking cats. One was dressed in an Asian robe and spectacles and the other looked like an always-happy Chinese cat. Between the two, seated on a palanquin, was the shabbiest old tomcat Haru had ever seen. He had pale purple fur that looked ready to molt any second and a large purple cat's eye jewel on his forehead.

"No," Yuki whispered, "He couldn't be!"

"What is it, Yuki?" Haru asked, cuddling her kitty face next to her own.

"Look at his eyes!" Yuki hissed fearfully. Haru looked and saw the exact same eyes as Lune, only older and colder!

"Is he…?"

"Excuse me, young lady," called the robed cat, "You have no part in this conflict, so if you would please move yourself and your pet to safety." Haru looked to the Baron; at his nod, she sprang beautifully to her feet and squished herself into the corner near the toy cabinet. She and Yuki were both terrified and gave cries of fear when the battle began with a screech.

"If only Toto hadn't covered the clock!" mewed Yuki, "I know it would have frightened those strange cats!" Haru kept her eyes on the Baron, watching as he and the captain organized their red-clad troops. They were brave and inspirational leaders, and the cats fought with fierce loyalty to them.

"Bring out weaponry!" ordered the captain. A few cats rolled out several doll-sized Revolution-style cannons and fired gumballs and jawbreakers from them at the invaders; many of them were knocked in the head or the gut and fell unconscious.

"Wow, that's a good idea," said Haru, "But why isn't Toto helping them? He's just sitting there with his wings over the clock!"

"Oh, no!" said Yuki, "They're coming over!"

The kingdom cats were sending in their elite group of fatigue-patterned guard cats with swords drawn; they stepped over the housecats like rocks and waved their weapons around, injuring many. With horror, Haru could see them heading straight for the Baron!

"Get that Nutcracker!" screeched the Cat King.

"NO!" she cried, "BARON!"

His back was turned to them because he was directing his troops and loading a gumball into one of the cannons. He looked up at Haru at her call, but as he was turning to see what she was warning him about, Muta pounced from the toy cabinet with his fur bristling and a savage snarl. With about as much grace as a K-O'd sumo wrestler, he belly flopped the attackers, rolled over, and started slashing his claws at them.

"You punks don't know who you're dealing with!" he yowled as he retaliated, "Come into _my_ house, will ya? Take this! And that! Take this, that, and the other!"

"Well done, Muta!" smiled the Baron, "Come, cats! Follow his example! Let's hear it for Muta!"

"Hurrah, Muta!" cheered the red cats as they waved their swords and re-advanced.

"Yes!" said Haru, "Go, cats! You can do it!"

The enthusiasm was short-lived; with Muta's frightening ferocity, the Baron's unending morale, and the captain's masterful battle skills, the Cat King's forces were breaking ranks, and that angered him tremendously.

"RAWR!" he roared as he rose from his palanquin, knocking it over, "_Get back in there and fight like cats, you chickens!"_ A cat guard was tossed over his head; he ducked and took his sword.

"I'll handle this myself!" he growled and ran off.

"No, Your Majesty!" pleaded his spectacled attendant, "Please, it's not safe! Oh, come back!"

Haru watched with fresh horror as the Cat King charged through the blurry mass of feline warriors, not caring who he stepped on or pushed over. The Baron was also watching him, prepared to fight for his life. The only problem was that the king's sword was considerably longer than the Baron's; he'd never survive such an unfair fight!

"Oh, where could Lune be?" Yuki cried, "Does he even know what's happening?" Haru had no answer; she was looking wildly around for someone, _anyone,_ who could help her mysterious nutcracker friend. Her eyes landed on Toto/Mr. Stahlbaum, still covering the clock face with his black wings. Her eyes narrowed.

_"Toto, you chiseled jerk!"_ she shouted angrily, _"Why won't you get your feathered butt off that clock and help your friends? And quit staring at me! It's freaking me out!"_

Toto didn't answer; his beady eyes widened and he cawed a warning. Haru whipped her head back to the Baron, who was still waiting for the Cat King.

"Haru, do something!" Yuki panicked, tugging on her night jacket. Haru did the first thing she could think of; after putting her cat safely on the toy cabinet, she threw off her pull-over and removed her left shoe.

"DON'T TOUCH MY NUTCRACKER, FREAK!" she hollered and hurled her slipper like a baseball player. The sole of it proved hard, especially with the speed it was flying; it smacked the Cat King square in the face, stopping him dead in his tracks.

Everything stopped. Every cat froze and turned to see the Cat King. Haru's slipper fell at his feet to reveal a deep crack in his crown jewel and his eyes were crossed. His jewel shattered, he roared in pain, and the lower half of his body molted while he swooned on the spot.

"How embarrassing," he muttered dizzily, shortly before fainting dead away in his fur.

"Cat Guard!" ordered the robed cat, "Surround the king and get him to safety! Prepare the palanquin!"

"Hup, hup, hup, hup," the guards chanted as they picked up their limp and unconscious ruler. As they carried him away on his palanquin, the Chinese-looking cat came toddling up to Haru with her shoe. Some of the good cats were guarding her, so he didn't get any further.

"I believe this is yours, madam," he said politely. One of the cats took it himself and handed it to her.

"Well," she said, surprised, "Thank you."

"Natoru," called the king's other servant, "Escort His Majesty back to the Cat Kingdom!" Natoru nodded and pranced out of the parlor. The other cat put his forepaws behind himself and scrutinized Haru.

"A brave act, my dear," he said coldly, like a disapproving teacher, "but not very wise, involving yourself in this ongoing conflict." He then turned to the Baron, who was standing near Haru.

"Thanks to your new lady friend, Baron, you've won this battle," he acknowledged, "But make no mistake: The Cat King has found you at last, and will have his revenge on you yet." The Baron stood his sword on its end and put a fist on his hip.

"Well, then," he said pleasantly, "Tell the king he's welcome anytime for tea." His troops loudly chorused their agreement; the attendant sniffed a "hmph" and walked away muttering something about "uncivilized hooligans."

"Baron, you won!" Haru cheered as she knelt, "You were all wonderful!"

"That they were, Miss Haru," he said as he adjusted his hat, "You weren't a bad shot yourself! Let's hear it for Miss Haru!"

"Hurrah, Miss Haru!" shouted the housecats as they waved their swords. She blushed.

"I know this must all be rather disorienting for you, Miss Haru," the Baron continued, "and I know I owe you a proper explanation, but I'm afraid it's very late and you and Miss Yuki should return to bed while we set the place right. Muta?" The large white cat walked to her and Yuki on his hind feet.

"Sorry to do this to ya, kid," he said, "You too, kitty. Hey, Birdbrain!"

Haru heard another caw and turned her head to see Toto swooping into her face! He flapped his wings before her once and everything went black before she could object.

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**Author's Review****:**  
Don't you love it when a chapter ends with someone getting knocked out? LOL

So now you know who plays what role in this story…I guess. Y'all are smart.

In the original story, it specifies that Marie (or Clara) throws her left shoe at the Mouse King, so I just kept in line with that.

I guess I've turned Toto into the creepy magical part of Godfather Drosselmeier…oops. The poem he says is only half made up. The first two lines are from the original story, except for the Cat King part, and then I made up the last two lines.

I'm sorry if I've turned Haru and Yuki into Damsels in Distress, but that's pretty much what Clara was anyway!

The Baron's attitude towards Natori-sama is a reference to the Mel Brooks Robin Hood that Cary Elwes played; he had a careless attitude towards his enemies, so I put that in as well. Squee!

And Haru's fussing at Toto is also from the original story; Clara fussed at Drosselmeier to "come down off that clock and stop frightening me so!" So cute!

And why was the Baron keeping Lune safely hidden away in another part of the house? Don't worry, you'll find out in the next chapter! ;) see y'all til then!


	5. Family Ties

Once again, I'm using a chapter title to make fun of sitcoms and other stuff from the 80's and back! I don't know why, I just am.

Thanks for all your reviews so far! I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas (or whatever) and that you're enjoying your winter break from school (for those of you who still go to school)!

This is mostly a talking chapter, or I think it's called "talking heads," or something. This is where all the stuff from the past comes spilling out in one big confessional, so get comfortable but don't get too excited. Just enjoy!

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_"You shall suffer if you befriend the ugly Nutcracker, for the King of Mice will always be waiting for him."_—Godfather Drosselmeier, _The Nutcracker,_ chapter 9

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**Chapter 4: Family Ties**  
When Haru came to it was morning and she was in her bed upstairs; the sun was streaming through the window and her bed curtains were drawn. She was bleary-eyed and her head hurt.

"Yuki," she asked groggily, "what happened?"

"Haru?" said her mother's voice. The curtain on her left swept away and there she was with a worried face and Yuki sitting on the bedside table.

"Haru!" her mom sighed and leaned down to hug her, "Thank goodness you're all right!"

"Mom," she asked, "How did I get here?" Mom sat up and stroked her child's face.

"Mr. Stahlbaum was woken up by some of the cats," she answered, "They led him down to the parlor, where he found you unconscious in front of the toy cabinet! Something must have frightened you, 'cause I know you're not a fainter! What were you doing in the parlor late at night, anyway? You're not a sleepwalker, either."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Haru said dully.

"Oh, it couldn't be _that_ bad," said Mom, "Come on, tell me."

"Would you believe me if I told you that the nutcracker baron came to life and led Papa Moon's cats in an epic battle against the Cat King, and that Toto and Muta are actually Mr. Stahlbaum and Papa Moon?" she asked in one breath. Mom blinked.

"Normally, no," she said, "but there's just something so magical about this place, I'd believe Chuck Norris with a BB gun!" They both giggled. Haru held her mother's hand.

"But it's true," she said quietly, "There _was_ a battle last night. The Baron _did_ come to life. For some reason, the Cat King has it out for him. He was bent on destroying him no matter what. He's gone for now, but he's coming back, I know it. He wants him dead." She started to tear up and had to swallow. "I have to do something," her voice cracked, "I have to help him."

"Haru," said Mom with more worry, "Haru it's all right. I'm here." She smoothed Haru's brown hair back down, reassuring her with her gentle touch. "I don't know what happened last night, but it's all over now." With all of her heart Haru wished she could believe that, but _also_ in her heart, she knew it wasn't true. It was far from over, especially now that she was involved.

"Knock, knock," said Papa moon at the door, (across from the bed on the right) with Mr. Stahlbaum holding a nice breakfast tray, "May we come in?"

"Please do," said Mom as Haru sat up, "That's so nice of you to make breakfast for her, Mr. Stahlbaum, especially after the trouble you took to help her."

"No trouble at all," smiled Mr. Stahlbaum, "How are you feeling today, Miss Haru?"

Haru sat stiffly and stared at him with a face that wasn't totally angry but stiff-jawed enough that the older man could tell he was in trouble.

"I'm just fine," she said automatically, "Mom, would you mind feeding Yuki for me?"

"Sure, honey," Mom said and stood up, "Call me if you need anything, okay? Come on, Yuki. (sigh) Imagine having to spend Christmas morning injured in bed."

As soon as she was alone with the two men, Haru shot a death glare at Mr. Stahlbaum and leaned forward aggressively.

"I'm not the kind of person who usually yells at her gracious hosts," she seethed with increasing volume, "_but what the heck is your problem?"_

"Whatever do you mean, Miss Haru?" he chirped.

"I saw you in the parlor last night, _Toto,_" she accused, "You brought your statue to life and covered the clock so it wouldn't scare the Cat King's army away! Never mind that you were in a crow statue's body, which is strange enough, but why didn't you help the Baron? And what did you mean by your creepy poem?" Mr. Stahlbaum gave a sigh of defeat and looked to his employer.

"Should we tell her now, sir?" he asked quietly. Papa Moon nodded solemnly.

"I'll call Lune and Muta," he replied with his eyes closed. Muta came strolling through the open door with Lune trotting ahead. His steps were light and he looked happy; he'd obviously seen Yuki. He and Muta leapt onto the bed; Lune sat near Haru's right and Muta settled himself by Papa Moon and fell asleep.

"Won't you eat while we explain?" Papa Moon indicated her food tray. Haru complied; she was hungry and figured she'd already been rude enough.

"I'll start from the beginning," he started, "This may be obvious to you already, but I am not just a clockmaker. I'm something of a magician as well." He scratched Muta's head. "Muta here is not just my pet; in some instances, he is my mode of transportation. Whenever I wish, I can transfer my consciousness into his body—possess him, in a sense, but not completely. While my human body is left sleeping, I am free to roam the streets as a fat white cat; unfortunately, I also take on some of his personality traits. That's why I called Toto a birdbrain last night; Muta doesn't like birds, you see."

"Is that how Mr. Stahlbaum became Toto?" Haru asked as she ate.

"Yes, Miss Haru," answered Papa Moon.

"Mr. Stahlbaum…" Haru began.

"You can just call me Toto, now that the secret's out," he said.

"Okay," he nodded, "Toto…I'm sorry for yelling at you, but…why didn't you help the Baron and the others last night?"

"I did only what I was asked to do," he answered quietly, "I know the clock would have frightened away the bad cats, but it was a battle that had to be fought." Haru stared for a second.

"Why?" she asked.

"That's because of me, Miss Haru," said Lune with a contrite voice.

"You, Lune?" said a surprised Haru as Yuki came back on the bed.

"What's going on?" she mewed. Lune looked painfully at her.

"I'm so sorry, Yuki," he shook his head, "I wanted to tell you before, but it wasn't safe—for you, me, the Baron, or anyone."

"What do you mean, Lune?" asked Yuki, moving a bit closer.

"That battle was over me," he said sadly, "The Cat King…" He bowed his head. "…is my father."

"Yuki and Haru both gasped; Yuki moved her paw over one of his.

"Your father?" she repeated softly.

"I _thought_ you looked similar," mused Haru, "But…I don't understand." She looked up at the men's grave faces.

"Once upon a time," Papa Moon spoke, "there was an old clockmaker named Renaldo Moon, just like me. He and his young nephew Westley lived and worked together, but Westley had an additional talent for finding things. Whenever Renaldo lost a tool for fixing the gears in a clock, Westley would always find it for him; if a screw fell between the floorboards, Westley never rested until it was recovered. One day he found a man's wallet and tracked down its owner; the man was so grateful he gave Westley a dollar. It was then the young boy decided to open his own business on the side. When he was old enough he became a local private investigator of sorts; he was so good at finding things—and people—that his fame eventually reached the ears of the Cat King, whose son had gone missing." Lune closed his eyes and drooped his ears. Yuki pressed herself to his side.

"Westley was summoned to the Cat Kingdom," Papa continued, "and was given 24 hours to return his son to him. For the first time in his life, Westley failed to deliver." Haru's beautiful eyes widened fearfully.

"What happened to him?" she asked with dread. The elderly man looked sad and haunted, his face shadowed.

"The cats almost killed him," he answered, "He was rescued in the nick of time, but he was severely injured and bleeding badly, with not a moment to lose. He wouldn't have made it to the hospital, so he was brought to his uncle. Desperate to save his beloved nephew, the old man did the only thing he could think to do…" He met her eyes.

"He turned his nephew into a nutcracker," he finished, "and he changed his name. He knew the Cat King would never stop hunting his nephew and changing his name threw them off the scent…for a time."

"But now they've found him again," said Haru, breathless with fear, "The Baron _is_ your nephew! But Lune…"

"Ran away from the Cat Kingdom after discovering that his father planned to kill him," said Papa Moon, "He came to live with us, thinking he'd escaped. Westley failed his case on purpose to save him, risking his life as a result. Now he is in that wretched state."

"It's my fault," Lune growled, "If I hadn't run away like a coward, he'd still be a human named Westley Moon, not Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, the Nutcracker!"

"You shouldn't blame yourself, Lune," murmured Yuki.

"She's right," said Papa Moon firmly, "Westley knew what he was getting into when he accepted the case."

"But Papa Moon, he's your nephew!" Haru got up on her hands and knees, "Isn't there anything you can do for him?" Muta growled in his sleep; Papa Moon reached over to hold Haru's face with one hand and looked emotionally into her eyes.

"All I can do for him," he said slowly, "is all that I've done." Her eyes wavered.

"Papa?" she breathed. His hand slipped from her face.

"I'm afraid you're the only one who can help him now," he sighed.

"Me?" Haru blushed, "What can _I _do?"

"Remain beside him," he said quietly, "Be faithful and true. That is all I ask." He slumped over slightly. Mr. Stahlbaum took a gentle hold of him; Haru and the cats moved to help him, too.

"Are you all right, sir?" he murmured.

"Yes," he nodded with a weak smile, "It just felt so good to tell someone after all these years, like a burden's been lifted."

"Let me take you downstairs," said his friend, "Please excuse us, Miss Haru."

"Sure," she bowed, "No problem." The two men left the room and Haru was left with the cats to speculate and discuss.

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**Author's Review****:**  
Sucky ending, I know—sorry.

I should explain something here: Even though Renaldo can possess Muta and become him in a way, he can also split his consciousness between the cat and his own body, but that takes more out of him, so he only does it for emergencies, like in the prologue. I hope that cleared up that question for you.

The Chuck Norris joke is from the movie "Get Smart." You should watch it—it's funny!

I'm sorry this wasn't a very exciting chapter, but hey—you've got to have at least one explanatory chapter in most stories, right? At least, that's what I do…(blush)

Don't worry; the next one will be super-exciting, I promise! See you til then! And if I don't update before New Year's, have a Happy New Year!!!!


	6. Catmail

Me again! I'm back with another chapter, but it's one of those "excitement is about to pick up" kind of things, so I made a mistake last time…sorry.

This one involves blossoming love, blackmail, and royal intrigue; the fighting is next chapter. This time, I'm sure.

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_"You know that I love you and will help you in whatever way I can."_—Marie, _The Nutcracker,_ chapter 9

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**Chapter 5: Catmail**  
Papa Moon and his guests and cats enjoyed a wonderful Christmas dinner of a honey roasted turkey with sides of stuffing, vegetables, and rolls. Everyone had a great time, even though Mom envied the others their strange ability to talk to cats. Only one guest wasn't having 100% fun; that guest, as you know, was Haru.

She looked adorable in her red turtleneck sweater, creamy white skirt that sort of looked like a poodle skirt, and new red scrunchie with candy cane bangles, (a Christmas gift from Papa Moon) but she couldn't stop thinking about the Baron's tragic story and how he, Lune, and Papa Moon himself were all mixed up in this mess with the Cat King. Sometimes she wasn't sure who she felt sorrier for.

What was more painful? To exist only as an inanimate object? To be the loved one who turned you into it and had to see it every day? To learn your own father wanted to kill you and not know who to trust? She sighed; so many questions were in her head.

"I've got to go to the bathroom, Mom," she whispered and excused herself.

She stood before the toy cabinet in the parlor; the Baron was standing front and center with that cat smile on his face and his eyes shining in welcome. Haru half-smiled at him.

"Hi, Baron," she said half-heartedly, "Papa Moon told me everything. I know who you really are and why the Cat King was after you. I know you risked your life to save Lune and I think it's the bravest thing I've ever heard." She pressed her hand against the glass. "I want to help you," she murmured, "but I don't know how. Papa said I should stay with you, but what good will that do? It won't change you back."

The Baron's eyes shone brighter and brighter until his whole body was wrapped in light; when it faded, he pressed his hand to the glass panel over Haru's hand.

"My dear Haru," his sweet voice sighed like the wind through a willow tree, "You have already changed me more than you know." Haru blushed red as his eyes penetrated hers.

"How?" she asked, feeling so shy right now.

"Of three things am I certain, Haru," he said lovingly, "First, that my uncle's desperate act was out of love."

"Then you're not angry at him for turning you into a nutcracker?" she said hopefully.

"Not anymore," he said, "Second, I am certain there is a way to break this spell. Lastly, I am _most_ certain you are that way."

"Me?" Haru gasped, "But how?" The Baron chuckled in a sort of purr.

"I'm certain I don't know," he said, "but I feel the longer we are together, the clearer it will become." Haru blushed again and smiled shyly.

"How would we be together?" she mused, "Mom and I are leaving tomorrow." She waited for a reply; when it didn't come, she looked up at him.

"Baron?" But the nutcracker baron had resumed his lifeless state, his eyes the only sign of recognition.

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Haru danced for everyone again that evening with her mother playing an exciting rendition of "Little Drummer Boy" on the Steinway; the cats slapped their tails on the floor to the beat. She also had a partner, sort of; the Baron stood on the floor and she danced around him, making sure to mostly stay in his peripheral vision. More than once she caught his eyes sparkling at her; not only did this make her very happy, but it inspired her to dance even better as well.

Later that night she and Yuki were curled up in their beds when Haru heard a scuffling on the floor; at first she thought it might be one of the housecats, but then she heard a sinister chuckle in her ear. She gasped loudly and shoved her back against the headboard; standing before her in a Scotsman's kilt (and a bandage on his head) was the Cat King! Yuki sensed her mistress' panic and woke up to find herself surrounded by cat guards with their swords at her throat!

"Cat King!" Haru hissed, "I swear to anyone who's listening, if you hurt so much as a _hair_ on my cat, I'll take one of those swords and personally fix you myself!" More guards brandished their swords at her.

"Ooh, feisty," rumbled the Cat King with his paws easily behind himself, "I like a lady with spark—must be where you get your dancing from."

"What do you want?" Haru quietly demanded.

"Who, me?" he pretended to look surprised, "I don't want anything, babe; it's more of what _you _want…whether you want me to skewer your pretty pet…or go downstairs and shred your little nutcracker friend."

Now Haru understood; he resented her involvement in his hunt for the Baron and was taking secondary revenge on her!

"Don't hurt them," she said a bit desperately, "either of them. I'll give you anything." She pulled her new scrunchie off her wrist. "Take this," she said, "Papa Moon just gave me this today, so I'm sure it's very expensive."

"Ooh," said the Cat King, entranced by the candy cane bangles, "Pretty." He looked deviously at the tall human and snatched it out of her fingers. "I suppose this could keep me busy for a while." He slipped it up his foreleg and signaled his guards, who followed him out at a close bound.

Haru sighed in relief and Yuki jumped into her arms; her fur was up.

"It's okay, Yuki," said Haru shakily as she stroked her tenderly, "They're gone."

"I'm so scared, Haru," she trembled, "What if they come back?"

"Don't think about that now," she hushed, "It'll be all right. I'll protect you." She kissed her kitty face. "You're my pretty girl," she whispered, "so don't worry."

Frightened as they were, they did manage to go back to sleep; this time Yuki curled up in Haru's neck, like she often did at home. But an hour later, the odious Cat King was back with Haru's scrunchie around his neck. He had two guards with him; again they drew their swords at Haru—one at her throat, the other at her heart! This time she couldn't move, but at least she could protect Yuki.

"You know, shiny is nice," leered the old fart of a cat, "but it has no feel to it. I'm sure you've got something, I dunno, _stringy_ for me to play with." Haru thought quickly.

"The ribbons on my ballet shoes," she answered immediately, "They're green satin, a birthday gift from my mother. Take them—take the shoes if you must, but just go and leave us alone!" He chuckled.

"You're a good sport, babe," he said as the guards ransacked Haru's bag, "A good friend, too. Couldn't we all do with a Haru!" He laughed and ran out with his guards carrying Haru's precious dancing shoes and ribbons like spoils of war. Mom would lynch her when she found out, but she didn't care, as long as Yuki and the Baron were safe.

Still, she did love those shoes; it broke her heart to imagine what those horrible fleabags were doing to them. And what would she give them next time? She had neither food nor anything else cats liked. She knew what would happen then: The king would threaten her again, she'd come up empty, and either Yuki or the Baron would die this very night. She couldn't let that happen!

After Yuki went back to sleep, Haru pulled on her slippers and hurried down to the parlor, straight to the toy cabinet. Frustrated and distraught, she leaned her face and hands on it and searched out his eyes.

"Baron," she sobbed, her fear and distress catching up to her at last, "I've done everything I can think of to help you, but I can't do it alone anymore! You have to help me! That stupid Cat King took my Christmas gift, my dancing shoes, and now I have nothing left for him to take! Even if I did, he'd be back for more and more until there _is_ no more, and then he'll kill either you or Yuki!"

She slid down the cabinet door to her knees and cried on the glass. All of a sudden, a light shone from the whole cabinet and the doors opened; Baron Humbert von Gikkingen nimbly jumped down, walked to Haru, and reached up to touch her jaw, since he couldn't reach any further, even wit her slouching over. His eyes burned with anger, sympathy, and something Haru couldn't name.

"My poor, dear Haru," he said fervently, "You have suffered for me…but no longer." He removed his hand. "Come with me." He reached in the cabinet and pulled out a beautiful sword from a knight in armor. "We'll settle this score with the Cat King once and for all."

* * *

**Author's Review****:**  
GO, BARON! He's boiling mad now; no one messes with his Haru and gets away with it!

Needless to say, the big fight scene is in the next chapter.

The chapter title this time is a play on the word "blackmail," for obvious reasons.

Did anyone like Haru's candy cane color outfit? I thought it was adorable…in my head, anyway. I wish I could draw her in it, and that yellow dress she wore in "Royal Wedding."

How'd y'all like the Cat King wearing a kilt? I thought it would be hilarious to envision, so I threw it in there!

I'm actually kinda proud of this chapter, because it's almost exactly like the original story, if you ever care to read it. It's magical and cool.

Okay, I'm off to type the next chapter!


	7. Full Moon Rising

(shuffling in, punching air with "Eye of the Tiger" playing in background)

As Cary Elwes said in Men in Tights… "Prepare for the fight scene!"

This chapter title makes fun of the hit song "Bad Moon Rising" by CCR (Creedence Clearwater Revival), but since the Baron's not a bad person, I just called it "Full Moon Rising." So…yeah. This one's kinda long, but you're gonna love it! Or at least like it!

And let's remember: The Baron's livid that Haru's been threatened; how do you think Lune feels about Yuki being threatened? (evil chuckle)

Oh, one important note: I'm not very good at choreographing personal fights, so imagine the fight scene as something like the fight between Justin and Jenner from "The Secret of NIMH," if you've ever seen it. If not, just think of any awesome fight scene you've seen (of course, half of you will more than likely think of Jack Sparrow and Will Turner).

* * *

_"I am indebted to you for all you have done. But don't sacrifice any more of your toys or your dresses. Instead, get me a sword of my own. Then I will manage the rest."_—Nutcracker, _The Nutcracker,_ chapter 10

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**Chapter 6: Full Moon Rising**  
The Baron had never been so angry or vengeful in his entire life; this fight was between himself and the Cat King! Why had he dragged Haru into this so violently? He knew why; he was still sore (literally) about her interception in his behalf.

Well, no more, he decided as they left the parlor together. She had already done more for him than she realized; now he would return the favor, in no uncertain terms.

When they reached the stairs, Haru scooped him up and super speed-tiptoed up to her room; she was alarmed when she reached the bed to find Yuki was not alone, but sighed inwardly with relief when she saw it was only Lune.

"Lune," she called softly, "Yuki! I'm glad you're okay!"

"Your Highness, you must hide," said the Baron as he jumped onto the bed, "It's not safe for you; the Cat King could return anytime now."

"Let him come, then," Lune growled and bristled, "I'm tired of hiding from my father! He can come after me if he wants, but this time he's gone too far! He won't hurt Yuki or Haru while I'm alive!"

"We'll just have to fix that, won't we?" growled the voice of the Cat King. They all turned; he was alone and armed with a long sword!

"Lune," he rumbled, "I knew you would betray me one day."

"Is that why you plotted to kill me?" his son retorted, placing himself in a defensive crouch in front of Yuki, "I wouldn't do things your way so you decided to get rid of me?"

"Doesn't matter now," replied his father with a soft growl, "That kitchy knickknack kept you concealed from me for ten years. Now it turns out he was just harboring a fugitive! You're both going down!" He charged!

"Not today, Your Highness!" said the Baron as he stepped in to meet the king's sword with his own. They fought right there in the middle of Haru's bed; Lune and Yuki jumped to the sidetable and Haru stood by them.

The Baron shook off his jacket and yanked his bowtie loose; a featherbed was a precarious battlefield, but they made it work.

The Cat King was stronger than they thought; he was really giving the Baron a run for his money, even in that kilt he was wearing. He whipped off the shoulder wrap-around part and tried to distract him with it, but the Baron grabbed it, yanked on it, and kicked him in the gut!

"Yeah!" cheered Haru. That made the king even madder and he started backing him up toward one of the corner posts by the headboard; the Baron held him off as best he could. Suddenly, Prince Lune bowled into the king's side and tumbled with him, giving the Baron just enough time to shinny up the post before being kicked in the face by his father.

"I'll take care of you later," he growled, put his sword in his mouth like a pirate, and clawed up the post after the nutcracker.

_"Father!"_ Lune yowled, but it was no use.

The Baron and the Cat King faced each other across the stretched canopy, which was better for fighting than the bed, but didn't lessen Haru's fears. The king came roaring at him again and each clash of their swords stopped Haru's heart. The king gave a hard blow that sent the Baron's sword flying and it landed on the bed near Lune.

"No!" the prince cried out.

"Baron!" Haru panicked. The Cat King sneered and took a stab at his enemy, but he dodged and got only a ripped seam in the shoulder of his shirt; the nutcracker rolled and scrambled to get away. The king slashed, barely missing his back but opening a slit in the fabric and several puncture holes with more stabs.

Finally the canopy could hold them no longer and the two cats came tumbling head over tail, tangled in a torn piece of the cloth. Lune grabbed the Baron's sword and let it cover him as they hit the bed. The Baron was flung clear across to the headboard, shook his head, and realized what was going on!

"Lune!" he shouted and jumped to help him, but a sharp yowl of pain stopped him.

"NO!" Yuki cried out and tried to run, but Haru grabbed her.

"Wait, Yuki!" she said. For a moment, there was a dead stillness; then the cloth piece moved and someone stood up and uncovered himself. It was Lune! He had his sword with him; it was stained in blood, like the blankets were about to be.

"Are you all right?" asked the Baron quietly as he touched him. Lune nodded silently.

"Lune!" Yuki meowed as she ran to hug him, "You're all right!" Lune hugged her intensely and she purred like a yacht. Haru moved to the bed and sat down.

"Baron," she asked, "are _you_ okay?" He smiled, walked over, and touched her face.

"Never better," he said, "even as a human. Thank you for all you've done, Haru, but I'm afraid it doesn't end here." He turned to face the room; the servants of the Cat King were all there, including Natori and Natoru.

"Citizens of the Cat Kingdom," he called, "You were all witness to this battle. You have a new cat king. All hail King Lune!"

The cats cheered and hurrahed; evidently, they hadn't liked their former king any more than our heroes had. Lune stood stoically with his paw around Yuki and his other one standing his sword on its end. He was the picture of a classic hero.

"Prepare the palanquin!" he ordered happily, "Make ready to return home!" He turned to his friends.

"Yuki, Baron, Miss Haru," he said, "None of this would have been possible without you! Will you accompany me back to the Kingdom of Cats to celebrate?"

"Sure!" nodded Haru.

"A fine idea, Your Highness," said the Baron, clapping his friend's shoulder, "I believe we could all do with a holiday about now!"

Haru and Yuki nodded their agreement.

* * *

**Author's Review****:**

YAY! GO BARON! GO LUNE! GO EVERYBODY!

Okay, that was very exciting! (I guess) The next chapter is where the numbers from the ballet kick in, 'cause you can't do a Nutcracker story without the Nutcracker music! Or at least, listening to it in your head while reading it…you know what I mean.

I didn't think of this 'til after I typed it, but the chapter title is like a combination of the Baron fighting for his lady and Lune fighting for all his friends, since the Baron's real last name is Moon, and Lune's name means Moon! So it talks about both of them and how they rise up to defend each other and their ladies! Aw, they're such wonderful gentlemen!

I'm gonna be doing my personal selection of some of the overture/dance routines from the original ballet; it is extremely hard to type a dance number with instrumental music, so I'm really depending on your imaginations and your experience of listening to the original Nutcracker music! So, yes: This one will actually require mental participation on your part. Please lend me your strength and send me nice reviews! I really want to do this chapter, so I'll get to it right away!


	8. The Spectacular Kingdom of Cats

There is one thing I want to say about the Cat King…

In the movie, I think of him as the old man in the nursing home that escapes every once in a while and causes trouble that their family members have to fix. That's the vibe I got from him when I saw him in the movie; he's just a senile old fart who's ruled too long and he needs medication. That doesn't necessarily make him bad, just…misunderstanding.

But in this story, he is evil and he will receive a proper burial as king; it's just not mentioned.

Make way for the dancing ballerina cats! I was going to have the cats turn out to be humans dressed like cats, like they do in ballet and Broadway (CATS the Musical RULES!), but then I decided not to. That would be too far from the Cat Returns spirit.

I tried to make it as easy as possible to tell which dance numbers I chose from the ballet, but if you get confused, just let me know. I promise I'll do my best to make my choices clear.

But I should warn you: Because I used the original story for reference, the end of this chapter may make you go "WHAT?" You'll see what I mean…I'm such a jerk!

* * *

_"And now, if you would only follow me a short way, I have beautiful and enchanting things to show you."_—Nutcracker, _The Nutcracker,_ chapter 10

* * *

**Chapter 7: The Spectacular Kingdom of Cats**  
"Um, Lune?" said Haru in the parlor, "How am I going to fit in the Cat Kingdom? I'm about ten times your size!"

"Oh, don't worry about that, Miss Haru," he said, excited, "Just follow us into the toy cabinet!"

"The toy cabinet?" she raised a curious eyebrow, but followed the line of cats until they stopped in front of the beautiful cabinet. Natori stood importantly before it and clapped his paws twice; the entire inside of it radiated a bright shining light and the doors opened by themselves. Haru had to shield her eyes.

"It's quite all right, Haru," she heard the Baron say, "You can look." She lowered her arms and blinked in the sunlight.

Sunlight? In the middle of the night? In a spacious field of…cattails?

"Where _are_ we?" she asked and looked at her nutcracker friend and did a double-take; he was as tall as a man!

"Baron!" she blushed a bright red, "What happened? You're enormous!" The Baron laughed happily.

"No, my dear," he said, "You have entered the Cat Kingdom and shrunk to cat size! Just look!"

He motioned ahead of them; they were on a small hill overlooking a crystal blue lake with a castle in the middle! Above it was a circle of light that sparkled. The whole place was warm and welcoming and peaceful.

"That's the Kingdom of Cats?" said Haru wondrously as the warm wind drifted through her long nightgown.

"Come on, Haru!" Yuki called from a few feet away on the palanquin.

"Shall we?" invited the Baron with his hand out to her.

"Mm-hmm!" she nodded and let him escort her to and help her onto the palanquin, taking his seat beside her. She and he faced Yuki and Lune respectively; the two cats were seated forward.

"Forward to the castle!" commanded Natori, and the procession continued.

They were quickly surrounded by the subjects of the former Cat King—and now Lune—who danced beside them, waved, and showered them in wildflowers and cattails. The Baron caught a small violet.

"For you," he said, handing it to Haru, who blushed again as she mumbled "thank you." It was then that she noticed Lune was dressed in a beautiful white uniform coat that looked slightly military!

Finally they were inside the palace; the prince and his guests of honor were led by Natori and Natoru to the dining hall/ballroom, where a spectacular feast was just ready to be served! Apparently, word traveled pretty fast around here. Haru was impressed.

"Miss Haru," said Lune, "While they're getting ready to coronate me, there's something I'd like to ask you."

"Okay," she said, "What is it?"

* * *

The coronation feast was celebrated in glorious pomp and circumstance; cats from every nation danced for the new king and his guests.

A small troupe of Spanish cats performed a dance that involved a lot of twirling; the females wore long frilly skirts that bloomed like flowers when they spun around. It was beautiful! At the end, two of the toms threw a rose to Haru and Yuki, who blushed becomingly.

Next came a sleek Siamese cat wearing a lower face veil and manacles with veils attached to them; she had stunning green eyes like a temptress and she performed a slow yet precise dance with her two male attendants, who wore tiny fez hats, red vests, and baggy pants (like Aladdin). A lot of it was them handing her off to each other and her holding elegant poses; it was a beautiful dance that ended with the toms carrying their mistress away over their heads with her legs delicately curved downward. A few of the lady guests had to smack their husbands in the head to snap them out of their trance, but not Yuki and Haru.

The next dance was more exuberant; a group of toms wearing boots and sable hats came rhythmically leaping onto the dance floor and did the Russian dance move where they squatted and kicked with their "arms" folded. Their female partners then came in with the same rhythmic leap and danced around them; the toms jumped up, grabbed their paws, and turned in tight fast circles with them. Haru got dizzy just watching them. The exciting dance ended with the couples holding paws together in the air, then swinging them down as they took a bow.

Haru and the others got a surprise on the next performance; Natoru was doing a Chinese dance with cats that looked like him, in that they had the same ears and faces he did! Their dance was mostly shaking their heads vigorously and walking in a circle while nodding, but it was very well-choreographed and expertly performed.

Next came a group of five or six silver females with icy blue eyes and snowflake tiaras; they were a head shorter than the other cats and performed a mysterious dance to tinkling fairy-type music. It was so enchanting that Haru wanted to dance with them; as if they'd read her mind, they pranced over and brought both her and Yuki into their dance!

"Hooray!" cheered the cats when they finished. They were particularly smitten with Haru's performance.

"Please, Miss Haru!" they cried, "You must dance for us again!"

"Um, okay, I guess," she smiled sheepishly, "Could I have a waltz, please?"

The music started; after nodding to the beat a few times, Haru lifted her arms in a circle and began to dance before the nobility of the Cat Kingdom in her nightgown, which ended up being the perfect dancing dress.

Something didn't feel right, though, as she spun and twirled; the music was perfect and she danced beautifully, but something was missing.

Then it struck her.

_'Of course!'_ she thought with a smile, _'I need a dance partner!'_ She twisted and twirled her way back to the king's table and did an arabesque before the Baron.

"Excuse me," she smiled, "Would you care to dance?" The eyes of the Baron lit up and he removed his hat.

"With pleasure, Miss Haru!" he said enthusiastically as he draped his coat over his chair and took her hand.

Haru was amazed as they waltzed and ballet danced together; she figured he'd be good, but he was like a professional male ballet dancer! It was as if he was _born_ dancing!

"Baron, I've got to ask," she said as he spun her once, "Where in the world did you learn to dance?"

"From you," he said, "and from Lune." Haru blinked in shock.

"Me?" she said, "How?" He stood behind her and held her hands up.

"Lune used to watch your class every day," he explained as he walk-turned her, "and when he came home, he would show me what he saw you do. He taught me the names, struck the poses, and often used our lady cats as demonstrative partners. Before I knew it, I lived for your lessons pass through the prince of cats. It was the first time since my transformation that I had something to look forward to, and I was eager for it, hungry for it. And when I learned of your visit, I was so elated." Haru blushed humbly; they were still dancing.

"I never knew I was so important," she mumbled self-consciously. The Baron was now holding her against himself with her back to him and one of her legs slightly curled around him. They made close eye contact that made Haru blush blood red.

"Haru," he said softly, "you have become the most important person in my life, the one most precious to me." They smoothly returned to a normal position for the big finish.

"I love you," he murmured in her ear, "my brave, beautiful Haru." Her lovely eyes widened and sparkled; forgetting the dance entirely, she threw her arms around the nutcracker's neck.

"I love you, too," she cried happily, "my good and kind Westley Moon!" Now it was the Baron's turn to be floored; with a surge of joy long overdue, he swept her up in his arms and finished the waltz with her white skirt flowing around them.

Everyone applauded the new couple as they went back to their table; Lune stood up to shake "hands" with the Baron and gave Haru a congratulatory kitty kiss on her cheek. He then raised his right paw for silence as they sat down.

"Citizens of the Cat Kingdom," he smiled, "This is indeed a joyous day for us. I'm so happy to be back home after so long, and I am highly honored with your trust." He took Yuki's paw and lifted her to her feet.

"As your king," he continued, "my first act of business will be to marry the beautiful lady Yuki, who, this very afternoon, has become your princess by agreeing to become my bride!" His subjects cheered happily as the new king and his fiancé hugged and purred.

"Maestro!" he called, "Our betrothal dance, if you please!" He led his snow white love gracefully to the dance floor, where they danced a romantic duet that humbled everyone in the room. They could tell just by watching this dance how much their new king and princess loved each other.

Haru could see it, too; she'd always known someone as pure and lovely as her Yuki would not stay single for long, and that only the deepest love could possibly take her away from her beloved friend and owner. Haru was deliriously happy that she'd chosen Lune; prince or no, king or no, he was brave, honest, kind, and patient. She couldn't possibly have found better for her precious Yuki.

So why was her heart breaking like it was right now? Why did each step her pet took amount to a tear down her face? Why did she feel a sudden urge to cuddle her and run off with her?

"Yuki," she wept quietly, "my treasure…my pretty girl."

"Haru, are you all right?" the Baron asked as he touched her back and offered her his handkerchief.

"Thank you," she said, "I'll be fine. I just…I just wish I was big enough to pick Yuki up again."

The moment she said that, a bright light flashed in her eyes and a gust of wind blew in her face; she heard the Baron's startled voice calling her name and felt a brief moment of falling before landing on her knees.

She blinked in the sudden darkness and looked around; she was kneeling before the toy cabinet in the parlor of the Drosselmeier house!

"Huh?" she exclaimed with a pounding heart, "Baron? Yuki?" She looked all over the cabinet; he was gone!

"Yuki?" she called, not caring that she might wake someone up as she ran upstairs to her room. The kitty basket was cold and empty.

"No!" she whispered, frantically searching the room twice over for Yuki, the Baron, Lune, anyone that had anything to do with this!

"Yuki," she called, "Baron! Please answer me! Where are you?" She ran back to the toy cabinet, leaned on it, and slid back to her knees in tears of loss.

"Yuki," she sobbed, "My baby, Yuki! Baron…Westley! Westley!"

Suddenly she heard a tingle of magic and quite literally fell asleep, landing safely in Mr. Stahlbaum's arms. Papa Moon was standing in the door with Muta and the captain; his face and Mr. Stahlbaum's were both grim.

"Take her upstairs, Toto," said the old man, "Let her sleep through the pain."

"Yes, sir," he nodded as he carried her over, "She has something in her hand."

"Let's see." Papa Moon gently unclenched her fist, in which was a small piece of cloth no bigger than her palm. He sighed.

"It's his handkerchief," he said. He picked it up, folded it a certain way, and tied it around her wrist like a bracelet.

"There," he said dully, "At least now she won't lose it." He also waved his hand over her wet face and magically cleaned her up; it was the least he could do for her.

Before following Mr. Stahlbaum out of the parlor, Renaldo turned and looked at the toy cabinet, now looking as cold and empty as Yuki's kitty bed basket.

He sighed sadly; he'd never felt so old in his entire life.

* * *

**Author's Review****:**  
Yes, yes, I'm a horrible person. It looks like Haru's gone through all that crap for nothing! It certainly _looks_ that way, doesn't it? (evil chuckle)

In case you couldn't tell, Lune was asking Haru for her blessing to propose to Yuki; his old-fashioned gallantry makes him so adorable!

Okay, the Nutcracker dances were the Spanish dance, (duh) the Arabian dance, the Russian dance, the Chinese dance, the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies, the Waltz of the Flowers (Haru/Baron), and the Pas de Deux: Intrada (Lune/Yuki). Questions? Y'all know what to do! See you later!


	9. Ice Cream Overdose

I forgot to mention something last chapter; Natoru's Chinese dance is a direct reference to Disney's "Fantasia" (which I don't own, btw) on the part where the mushrooms dance. I just thought it would be cute!

So y'all are probably pretty mad at me for doing this to poor Haru, but it's sort of in keeping with the original story, so…sorry!

Mom gets heavily involved in this one; this is the final chapter, so everything comes together here, too. Don't worry, it'll have a happy ending; they always do.

Oh, and Papa Moon and Toto know everything that happened because they're cool like that, but they don't remember how to bring the Baron back out like they did last time…not yet, anyway.

By the way, I think you Hiromi fans are gonna like this one!

* * *

_"Mr. Drosselmeier, you are a kind and good gentleman, and you reign over a land of charming and wonderful people. I would be thrilled to be your queen."_—Marie, _The Nutcracker,_ chapter 13

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**Chapter 8: Ice Cream Overdose**  
It was with great reluctance that Haru woke the next morning in her four-poster guest bed; she was groggy and wondered where she was and what had happened.

"Yuki," she called drowsily and looked around for her beloved pet. Then she saw the Baron's handkerchief tied around her left wrist and it all came crashing back like a splash of ice water in her face. She held her wrist and leaned over in a huddle, suddenly feeling so lost and helpless. There was only one person who understood her when she felt this way.

Haru pelted downstairs without her bed slippers; she heard voices in the parlor. She burst in, ran right to the adults, and threw her arms around her mother.

"Haru!" Mom gasped as she held her, "Sweetie, what's wrong?"

"I fear your daughter has had her heart broken, Mrs. Yoshioka," said Papa Moon gravely. Mom looked confused.

"You'd better sit down," he motioned to the sofa. As they sat, he sent all the cats from the parlor with a snap of his fingers and took a seat in one of his small armchairs across the coffee table. Mr. Stahlbaum took the other one and listened as his boss told Mrs. Yoshioka the whole story. The woman herself listened in dumbfounded shock as she held her daughter closely.

A heavy silence followed his story; Mom looked down at the table like she was trying to digest what was so unbelievable to other people. Papa Moon and Mr. Stahlbaum were silent and Haru remained in her shell.

"So," Mom finally said, "that nutcracker doll…is actually your nephew. And he and my daughter…are in love. But he's back in the Cat Kingdom with Yuki and Lune, who are now engaged…and you don't know a way for him to return." She looked up at Mr. Stahlbaum. "Is that about it?" He nodded.

"This is real, then," she said, looking at Papa, "This is all true, isn't it?"

"I'm afraid so," said the old man.

"Then," she said, "my daughter _has_ had her heart broken!" Her daughter burst into tears and her mother embraced her.

"I'm sorry, Haru," she apologized, "I didn't mean to make it worse!"

"You're not, Mom," sobbed Haru, leaning on her.

"My poor Haru," she murmured, stroking her hair gently, "I'm here, honey."

"I'm so sorry, Haru," said Papa Moon wretchedly, "This is all my fault. I brought this upon you and Westley both. Now you have lost him and Yuki, and you have gained nothing."

"No, Papa," she said a bit more calmly, "I'm not worried about Yuki. I'm sad to let her go, but I know she'll be happy with Lune in the Cat Kingdom. And I know I'll see her again; with the bond we have, my Yuki will always find her way back to me." Papa Moon leaned forward and met her eyes.

"And so will Westley," he said firmly and clearly, "You've got to believe that, my dear. Have faith in the power of his love for you and believe he will return to you. Remember what I told you: Be faithful and true."

Haru nodded and half an hour later, she and her mother left the Drosselmeier house with thanks and apologies and reassurances. On the way home, Mom made a few feeble attempts at conversation but all Haru could think of was how cold her lap felt without Yuki to keep it warm, how uncomfortably light her arms were without her weight.

When they finally got home, Haru trudged past the stairs, dropping her bag at the foot as she headed straight to the living room; she just didn't have the strength to climb those stairs—physical, mental, or emotional. She kicked her shoes off by the couch and flopped onto it, virtually exhausted. Mom saw her and chuckled.

"Good idea," she said as she kicked her own shoes off. She grabbed two quilts, covered Haru with one, and settled herself into their recliner. She leaned it back and, like her daughter, was out like a light in no time.

* * *

Three days later a cloud of gloom could be found hanging over the Yoshioka house, its mailbox stuffed with unchecked mail and its residents buried under quilts in the same furniture they'd flopped onto. A mess of tea cans, soda cans, take-out containers, and empty ice cream boxes lay scattered around them and their TV played on, blissfully unaware of the inattention of its owners. A news lady appeared on the screen.

"Local quilt maker Naoko Yoshioka and her daughter Haru were found dead in their home this afternoon by a friend who came to visit. An autopsy revealed an overdose of a preservative commonly found in ice cream, but it is speculated that Haru, a promising young ballet dancer, may have died of a broken heart as a result of recent circumstances."

The phone rang and Mom jumped awake with her glasses drooping to the side. The TV was showing "It's A Wonderful Life."

_'That was a dream,'_ she thought and sighed as the phone kept ringing. The mess was still real, though, as well as the air of depression. Mom laid back in the chair and let it go to the machine.

"Haru!" Hiromi's voice fussed, "Pick up! I know you and your mom are home! You can't keep ignoring my calls; it's been three days! Tsuge and I are coming over there in five minutes, and this time, we're coming in! And if I find another empty ice cream box like that time after the school fall festival, so help me--!"

BEEP! The machine cut her off; Haur slipped her face out of the quilt and looked at the boxes—all five of them, cleaned out. Hiromi was in for a nasty surprise.

"What time is it?" she moaned. Mom's eyebrows pulled her eyes open just enough for her to check her watch.

"Four," she answered.

"A.M. or P.M.?" Haru asked. Mom sat the chair back up.

"I don't know," she yawned, "Check the window."

It was dark gray inside the living room, with the shades and curtains drawn. The couch was right under the window, so Haru reached up and moved the drapes aside; the sun gave a glare off the snow.

"P.M.," she groaned as she settled back in.

"We should definitely try to make it to our beds tonight," said Mom, rubbing her eyes. Haru groaned and burrowed into the covers.

"Let's not and say we did," she replied, muffled by her quilt. "Hey, Mom?" She poked her head back out. "I think we stink." Mom smelled inside her own blanket; three days of not showering finally caught up with her.

"I guess I'll take the first bath," she said, pulling the lever to fold the recliner. She didn't move any more than that, though; she simply didn't have the energy or the mental capacity to get up!

The front door was knocked on and opened.

"We're coming in, Mrs. Yoshioka!" they heard Hiromi say, "Tsuge, I feel I should prepare you for this. You're about to see what women look like when they're depressed. Think you can handle it?"

"I'm sure I'll be fine," his voice chuckled as their footsteps approached and stopped in the curved doorway of the living room. Mom looked up and Haru barely peeked out to see their shocked faces.

"Sweet fancy Moses," said Tsuge. Hiromi was also wide-eyed.

"Oh, hello, Hiromi," Mom smiled a bit, "Tsuge. How was your Christmas?"

"Better than yours, apparently," the teen answered as she stepped over stuff, "What happened here? The place is a pigsty! What have you been doing, hibernating? And what is this?" She snatched up an ice cream box and read, "Sold My Soul to the Devil's Food Chocolate? Haru…"

"Go away, Hiromi," she mumbled, burrowing back undercover. Hiromi gave an indignant "hmph!" and whipped the quilt off of her; Haru was still in her clothes.

"All right, that does it," Hiromi sighed as she pulled open the curtains, "I don't know what happened this time, but this ends today." She yanked the blinds open and the two women flinched in the sun's reflection on the snow.

"Oh, just let me die," Haru moaned, stuffing her head under her pillow.

"Hiromi, dear," said Mom as she rubbed her eyes again, "please try to be a little more sympathetic. Haru's earned the right to be depressed; I'm simply suffering with her." She popped open another can of tea and took a swig.

"What?" Hiromi looked concerned at her friend, "Haru?" The depressed girl slowly sat up with a pale face and empty eyes. Hiromi knelt in front of her and touched her knees.

"Haru," she asked gently, "what happened?" Haru blinked and drooped her head.

"Come on," Hiromi took her hands, "Let's get you cleaned up and talk. Tsuge, will you get started?"

"Sure," he said, whipping out a trash bag. Hiromi led her numb friend out of the room and up the stairs.

"Sorry to barge in like this, Mrs. Y," said Tsuge as he worked, "but Hiromi was worried about you two, and I see why. You look like rejects from Night of the Living Dead!" Mom chuckled and got up to help him.

* * *

"You know, you're lucky we've been friends as long as we have," said Hiromi as she rinsed Haru's hair with the showerhead hose, "If I left you alone for privacy, you'd probably drown right now." She turned it off and sat against the wall with a hand towel to dry her hands; in the tub, Haru was facing the same way (so it's like they're sitting next to each other).

"You can wash your own body," she continued, "and maybe tell me what made you so catatonic."

"You wouldn't believe me," Haru mumbled, sinking half her face into the water.

"Haru," she said seriously, "you haven't left your living room for three days. You haven't answered your phone, you turned off your cell, you've had nothing but take-out from the looks of it, you've eaten yourself into an ice cream coma, and you're as pale as a ghost! I'm pretty sure I'll believe you."

"Not this," said Haru quietly as she lathered up.

"Was it a guy?" Hiromi asked. Haru dropped the soap.

"Yes," she sighed.

"Did he do something to you?" her friend asked defensively.

"No!" she said quickly, "Nothing like that! He's the most wonderful guy in the whole world!" She slid into the water to rinse off.

"Well then, what happened?" Hiromi asked as she stood with a towel robe ready.

"Like I said," Haru answered dully as she wrapped herself up, "You wouldn't believe me."

Hiromi took that to mean she didn't want to talk about it, and she was partly right: In her emaciated state, Haru couldn't even _attempt_ to explain the strange Christmas she'd spent with Papa Moon and company, so Hiromi decided to let it go…for now.

She convinced Haru to put on her nice yellow long skirt and her green sleeveless turtleneck shirt, and to put her hair in a ponytail; when they came back downstairs, a white blur came running at them.

"Haru!" Yuki mewed happily as she jumped into her arms.

"Yuki!" the girl wept and knelt down, "You came back!"

"Of course I did," the cat purred, "I couldn't get married without you!" Lune trotted over to them.

"Lune," she smiled and pet him, "You're here, too!"

"Of course," he also said, "We were all worried sick when you disappeared, especially Westley, but he regained his human form and when Toto finally got him out of the kingdom, he suddenly grew back to his human size, too! So he and Toto fell in the lake and we had to walk back to Renaldo's house, and that took us three days."

"Wait," she interrupted, "Did you say Westley?" The cats shared a happy, sparkly-eyed look.

"Come with us, Haru," said Yuki with excitement as they trotted ahead of her into the living room. She quickly followed with a very confused Hiromi and froze.

Standing between her blushing mother and wide-eyed Tsuge was a tall yung man of eighteen with straw colored hair that was well-cut in the back and his bangs brushed his beautiful emerald eyes, the only feature that hadn't changed. He was clothed in a light blue suit very much like the one he'd worn as a nutcracker doll, only with no hat this time. For a moment, Hiromi and Haru just stared.

"Wow, you're cool," Hiromi finally said. Haru stepped toward him, hardly believing her own eyes.

"Westley," she breathed, "is that really you?" She touched his face and he covered her hand with his eyes closed.

"The night of the battle," he said, looking deeply in her eyes, "before you defeated the Cat King, you claimed me as your own: _'Don't touch my nutcracker.'_ The moment you said those words, I could feel the spell beginning to break around me. When you called me by my true name, you gave me back my identity—you, the woman I love, had renamed me, and that also helped the spell to break." He caressed her face lovingly.

"When you disappeared after telling me you loved me," he said quietly, "and I didn't know what had happened to you…that was the final straw. My heart broke free and I became human again. I had to find you as fast as possible; for so long I had no reason to live, and now that I've found it in you, I'm not going to lose you again."

With both of her hands in is, he knelt down on one knee to the shock of all.

"My beloved Haru," he asked fervently, "from the utmost depths of my once-broken heart, I humbly ask you to become my wife and to allow me the privilege of claiming you as my own, just as you claimed me." Again Haru was speechless and red-faced; so was her mother.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Hiromi, "Hang on just a second here, mister! Do you know Haru here's only seventeen?"

"As a matter of fact, I am," he said, smiling at Haru, "I am also aware that she turns eighteen in only a month, and if there's one thing I've learned in ten years as a nutcracker, it's patience. I'm perfectly willing to wait."

"A _nutcracker?_" said Hiromi incredulously, "What did I miss, Haru?"

"Hiromi," Mom smiled, "Relax. I'll explain it to you later."

"But…" she objected.

"Come on!" Mom chirped, "Why don't you and Tsuge help me take out the trash?" She had the two teens out the door before either of them could object, leaving Westley and Haru alone with their cat friends.

"Well, Haru?" he asked as he stood, "Will you marry me?" Haru's eyes welled up; she couldn't help it. She held his face and looked in his eyes.

"Yes," she smiled and wept, "A thousand times, yes!" She threw her arms around him again; he held her around her waist and spun around with her while the cats rejoiced. Still holding each other, they kissed, and Mom came running back into the living room in a fit of maternal ecstasy.

"My baby, Haru!" she cried as she hugged her, "I can't believe it!" She turned to Westley while Hiromi hugged Haru.

"Westley," said Mom, "welcome to the family. Please take good care of my Haru; she's my only child."

"It will be my honor, Mrs. Yoshioka," he bowed, "But in return…may I call you Mother? My parents both passed away when I was very young, so my uncle is the only immediate family I have left." Mom was touched; she took his hands kindly.

"Of course you can, Westley," she smiled mistily, "It'll be so nice to have a son!" He nodded and smiled.

"Thank you, Mother," he said warmly and patted her hands, "And speaking of my uncle…"

"That's right!" Mom clicked, "We have to go see him immediately and tell him the wonderful news! Hiromi and Tsuge, you can ride with me! Westley and Haru can take the cats…" She stopped. "You did drive here, didn't you, Westley?" He nodded again. "Well, great! Let's go, then!"

So they all bundled up in their winter clothes and drove together back to the Drosselmeier house—Mrs. Yoshioka driving her green VW Beetle and Westley driving his white Toyota Solara convertible with the top up, since it was cold.

When they got to the mansion, Westley and Haru ran hand-in-hand to the front door, which Westley opened for the ladies. Some of the housecats ran off to find Papa Moon and the others greeted Lune and Yuki.

Papa Moon came hurrying to the foyer with Mr. Stahlbaum; Westley took Haru's hand, drew her to his side, and announced their engagement to the whole house. Everyone cheered (even the cats) except Papa Moon, whose face was soft with joy as he looked at his nephew, who reminded the old man so much of his own sister in every way.

"What a happy man am I," he said as tears gently fell down his face. Westley embraced his uncle as he never had before. The girls all teared up, deeply moved by the bond of affection they were seeing. Mr. Stahlbaum approached them and Haru distinctly saw her mom blush with a surprised look!

"I'm happy to see you again, Mrs. and Miss Yoshioka!" he smiled, "Congratulations!"

"Thanks, Toto," Haru beamed, "I'll be counting on you to keep Mom company when I'm away!"

"It'll be my pleasure, Miss Haru!" he beamed back, "As long as your mother has no objections to my company!"

"Of course not," said Mom, "but you needn't worry about me, Haru." She was giving her a "stop embarrassing me" look. "Just don't be in a hurry to make me a grandmother."

"But when you are," said Toto, "what a lovely grandmother you'll make!" Mom blushed again and Haru felt better about leaving her mother. Papa Moon and Westley came back over to them; after Westley kissed Haru on the cheek, Papa Moon held her hands and gave her a warm smile that said "I told you so." Haru returned it with a "you were right" smile and they laughed and hugged.

* * *

Haru and Westley returned to the Cat Kingdom with Toto and Muta to see Lune and Yuki's wedding; their first dance was an old song from the sixties called "Bend Me, Shape Me." Their philosophy was that anything could be ballet if you wanted it to be, so they danced ballet to it.

The young couple spent the next four weeks planning their wedding; Westley worked hard for his Uncle Renaldo to provide for his future wife and Haru worked hard to graduate high school while Mom and Renaldo handled the more annoying wedding details.

Haru turned eighteen a week before graduation and another month after that, she and Westley were married in the same shrine her parents were, with Hiromi as the Maid of Honor and Tsuge as Best Man (he had become good friends with Westley). Mr. Stahlbaum gave away the bride and Mom caught the bouquet; since she happened to be standing next to the aforementioned gentleman, she blushed furiously again. Haru laughed happily, kissed them all goodbye, and drove away with her true love for their honeymoon, on which they were accompanied by the also-newlywed Lune and Yuki.

After their honeymoon in England, Lune and Yuki bade their friends a loving farewell with promises to visit and returned to their home in the royal castle of the Kingdom of Cats, where they ruled for a long, long time and had a litter of six kittens, the eldest of which was a boy that they named Westley. Their eldest daughter, Hana, began to long for the human world, so they let her live with Haru and her family—herself, Westley, and their three children, Luna, Renaldo, and Elias, which was Mr. Stahlbaum's true first name (but they didn't figure that out until after they were married).

Mr. Stahlbuam proposed to Haru's mother after a few years of dating and moved her into the Drosselmeier mansion after their wedding; not too long after that, Hiromi and Tsuge got married and bought the Yoshioka home. They live there with their two children, Maiko and Tsuge, Jr.

Haru did become a professional ballerina, retiring only after having her third child; after that, she danced only for fun, always with Westley.

And they most certainly lived happily ever after.

THE END

* * *

**Author's Review****:**  
Yep! That's it, folks! I hope you enjoyed my first chapter fic for Cat Returns, which is also my first Christmas fic for Cat Returns! Boo-yah!

Okay, so Mom and Haru's three-day Christmas coma was taken directly from the Pink Bible version of "Pride and Prejudice." There was a scene where Jane and Elizabeth got so depressed they slept on the couch for a week and made a huge mess and Elizabeth did dream about a news lady announcing that they'd been found dead due to an ice cream overdose. I thought it would be perfect for the Yoshioka ladies, since it's just the two of them!

Speaking of "Pride and Prejudice," Haru's acceptance of Westley's proposal is the same line Jane said in the Keira Knightley version to Mr. Bingley! I couldn't come up with anything better for her to say, sorry.

The reason I gave Lune and Yuki a 60's song as their wedding dance is because for some reason, that just seemed like something they'd dance to; I was going to put it in my "Royal Wedding" one-shot, but then I didn't. It's by The American Breed; go listen to it. It's a fun song!

I know I kind of sped up the ending, but again, I had a creativity fart. I hope you liked it anyway, and I hope you had a Merry Christmas, and I really hope you have a fantastic New Year! Thanks for sticking with me again! See you in the funny papers!


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